Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-25
Series Of Letters from Marion Har-
land to Those Who are the Mothers
of ImmOrtal Beings.
Time the Only Cure for Constitutional
RestIessnsss-A Caution as to Young
Children's Bed Fellows.
BY MARION HA2LAND.
Author Of Common Sense in the Nursery" etc.
Baby's Sleep.
Copyright, 1887, by the Author.

optional with him whether he will learn
it Or not. Each sense is q schoolmaster
that taxes the immature brain to the
utmost. The only security from eXhaus-
ton is in complete fOrgetfulness between
study hours. The necessity of getting at
any cost recuperatiye rest for the pupil IS
patent to the dullest mind. Everybody
knows that babies ought to be asleep two
thirds Of the time, but many never ask
why Nature insists upon this, or appreci-
ate the peril of thwarting her design.
When baby has had his morning bath
and breakfast, he should be put to bed
as for the night, the room be made dark
and still. A broken nap is q nervous
shock. He is so far away in dream-land
that the untimely awakening is like being
ierked back. cit makes him Cross says
nurse-cross because his nerves are
rasped and his brain Jared. Repeat the
violence few times and you break up
the habit Of slumber, have "trOuble-
some" child on your hands, with yourself
and your methods to thank for the aCqui-
sition. DO not let his day nap be dis
turbed for the convenience or pleasure of
anyone. Wait patiently until his eyes uE-
close as naturally as VOlets at the touch
of the sun. He will sometimes oYer-sleep
the hour for MS meal or airing. Let him
alone! Once laid to rest IN shadow and
calm, dear Mother Nature with finger on
lip, stands guard at the pillow. While
her watch lasts he is safe. The "Master,
if he sleep, he shall do we'll" holds good
in nursery as in sick room.
Put baby to bed for the night early, and
again, in shaded chamber. The toss
ings, twitchings and fr0Wns that mark his
objection to sleeping in the light, might
teacn stupid nurse q lesson, yet the ten
der mother, content TO pass her evenD IS
beside him, seWs or reads by gas burner
that lays broad band OF radiance CCross
the baby face. son, he dOSen'J mind the
light" we near when we demonstrate.
eve have trained him 20 It," He does
mind it, but, being OILY a baby, cannot
word protest against present discOm-
fort, and is as ignorant as his mother OF
threatening Ills to eyes and nerves.
Baby, then, must sleep often; sleepreg
uIarly; sleep long and in friendly gloom.
Omit one OF the stipulatiOns and the nene-
| ticent work OF slumber-Its specific igenCY
is rendered imperfect.
Now AID them wish the exceptions
were so rare as to merit the epithet 'phen
Omenal, I've happen upon child that
seems not to know how to sleep. From
! his birth he wants to turn night into day,
ard by day ignores that night exists at
! all. Older children grOWl when the morn
| ing oh st-st." meets them at the door OF
| the nursery. "OLher peoples babies are
not so easily waked up. This one would
get use to noise if Mamma did not spoil
! him." Nurse prates of collie, and would
keep him continually befuddled with
anise-cordial brandy or paregoric. The
doctor, in response to Mamma'S frantic
adiuratiOns, presCribes bromide, coffee,
! Devices Mixture, even choral, and puT
chases sleep in broken homeopathic guam
titles. Papa, in tgue masculine dislike to
accept anything as UnaCCOuntable, lectures
upon mismansgement. every Child Is
amenable to routine if discipline is en-
forced" Optimistic friends hope that
the 'poOr little thing may take u turn
| before long"
Oh, these prognOstCated terms! What
delusive and elusive goals are they to dis
appointed baby tenders! Most "trOuble-
some" children take turn, or have =
change, or try new leaf, at the end Of
the first month. If not then, two months
must bring revolution. This stage
passed without visible change, six months
will bring all straight. With our Obsti-
nateIy-Waketul infant the Old leaf often
ou.lasts the moons that wax to their wane
IN the slow half-year. Naturally, he does
DOt-cannOt-thrive. Loss Of sleep
makes him nervously cross; nervous irri-
taoility prevents him from sleeping.
Action and reaction make him thin, appe-
titeless, "backward" III every way.
Nurses leave in discOuraging succession,
the mother is worn to shadow with
Il, = Toll r,,]n VNr - ~
ing but worry along until he gets old
enough 10 know BETTER" said a physician
who does not believe in drugging babies,
TO the depsondent parent of an "excep-
tional' infant.
The sentence sounds upsympathetiC
but the aim was true and straight. This
constitutions" restIessne,s is one OF
the must-be-endureds, because time is
the only cure. As baby becomes strong
enough to be much IL the open air, to roll
and creep on carpet or turf, 10 get him
self beautifully fatigued III muscles and
flesh, he will ''know better" Nature ' i'll
rally to the mothers help. Until then,
coax slumber by ell soothing natural arts,
Opiates and sedative medicines ageravate
the trouble. See that the nurseling's bed
is comfortable, his position easy, and that
lie Is not laid down hungry or fretfuI
The state OF stomach and temper exerts
marked influence here. Be grateful iOI
every hour Of s,eep as so muCn gain in the
battle, and wait! No child ever refused
J to sleep for term OF years. Every day
} is one less.
A caution as 10 the bed-fellow Of young
} children Is pertinent IN this connection
, You endanger The health Of the well when
you put them and the sickly into the same
J bed, or their cribs so near together that
J their breaths mingIe. Il is almost as un-
wise to suffer an infant, or larger child
10 sleep with an aged person. Grand
} mammals f2vorite, who shares her cham
Der and couch, grows to look ike her
Tne association is good for the OLD lacy,
} bad for the 0aby. The weaker life in some
J occult way, feedsup0n the stronger. The
subject is grave and deep, commanding
} the serious attention of learned physio
} Iogists. Your part is to act upon facts
} they have established beyond dispute
} Let baby have his bed to. himself wher
this is practicable. When it is not, give
! him healthy companion near his OWL
} age. If the principle Of wedding anC
transplsntiDg were practiced judiciously
in the nursery we should have more rubus
) plants.